1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feeder connector used for charging an electric vehicle or the like, and more particularly to a feeder connector in which the feeding-side and receiving-side connectors thereof are easily fitted and connected and reliably prevented from accidental detachment during the feeding operation, and which also enables a secure prevention of an inadvertent rotation of a lever in the feeding-side connector when these connectors are not fitted yet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional feeder connector is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-24539, wherein the feeder connector consists of a female connector (receiving-side connector) 61 fixed to the body of an automobile or the like and a cylindrical-shaped male connector (feeding-side connector) 62 provided on the side of a feeder apparatus.
As shown in the figures, when male connector 62 is fitted in female connector 61, a pair of locking pieces 67, 67 of the male connector are engaged with an annular groove 68 of the female connector, and simultaneously female and male terminals, respectively 63 and 64, are fitted and connected to each other. Then, when the feeding operation is started, an electromagnetic coil 65 is energized and accordingly a plunger 66 is sent down to such a position where the pair of locking pieces 67, 67 are locked, so that the male and female connectors cannot be detached during the feeding operation. On completion of the feeding operation, an electromagnetic coil 65 is de-energized to allow a plunger 66 to go upwards to a non-locking position, and the connectors may be separated from each other by pressing disengagement members 69 and releasing locking pieces 67 from the annular groove 68.
In summary, in the conventional feeder connector as constructed above, the pair of locking pieces 67, 67, electromagnetic coil 65 and a plunger 66 are all provided on the fitting axis of the connectors. As a result, they interfere with the exit (wiring path) of lead wires 71 of a cable 70, making the feeder connector complicated inside and large-sized, whereby it has been a difficult problem to settle a multi-polarization of the connectors suitable to form control circuits such as display circuit and signal circuit other than the power feeding circuit.